Highly stable and slowly adjusted air inflation cushion

ABSTRACT

A highly stable and slowly adjusted air inflation cushion has: a lower sheet being a sheet like structure; an upper sheet adhered on an upper side of the lower sheet; the upper sheet including a polarity of air inflation cells each of which have a hollow central space; each air inflation cell being an approximate rectangular bottom; a polarity of channels; two adjacent air inflation cells being connected by a respective one of the channels for communicating the air inflation cells connected thereto so that air in the air inflation cells flows from one to another; and wherein a cross section area of the channel is inversely changed with (or inversely proportional to) a pressure applied on an upper side of the channel. A cross section of the channel becomes smaller and smaller from an inner side toward an outer side of the air inflation cushion.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to air inflation cushions, and inparticular to a highly stable and slowly adjusted air inflation cushion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art air inflation cushion includes a polarity of air inflationcells. The deformation of the air inflation cells has the effect ofsupporting the persons lying thereon. When the person lying there onmoves, for example, the person turns his (or her) body continuously,then the pressure applied on the air inflation cells changescontinuously. The air inflation cells deform to react the change of thepressures.

However, the prior art air inflation cells deform quickly so that thewhole distribution of the air inflation cells cannot wholly match thepose of the person lying thereon. As a result, the contact area betweenthe air inflation cushion and thus only a part of the body of the personcontacts the air inflation cushion. For a long time, the person lying onthe bed will feel fatigue and tired due to the distortion of themuscles. Furthermore the blood circle becomes bad and sleep isdeteriorated so as to affect the health of the body.

Therefore, the inventor of the present invention desires to develop anovel design which can improve the defects in the prior art. When theperson lying on the air inflation cushion turns his or her body quickly,oscillation and the deformation of the person's body is proper, not tooquick or too slow so that the contact area of the air inflation cushionwith the person is optimum. Therefore, the defects in the prior art canbe improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To improve above mentioned defects in the prior art, the presentinvention provides a highly stable and slowly adjusted air inflationcushion, wherein a polarity of channels are used to communicate the airinflation cells, and the interior cross section of the channel isapproximate reversely changed with the weight of the person lyingthereon. Therefore, when the pressure applied to the air inflationcushion 1 is changed, the deformation of the air inflation cushion 1 isslow so that the oscillation and deformation are properly, not too largeand not too small. Therefore, by the design of the present invention,the person lying on the air inflation cushion 1 has a greatest contactarea with the air inflation cushion 1. Moreover, the air inflation cellscan expand completely and adhere to the person's body tightly so thatthe person lying theron retains in a steady state. Therefore, the personlying thereon feels comfortable and easy. The present invention issuitable for the beds used for general persons, sick persons, andhandicapped persons, etc. Moreover, black rubber or silicon is suitablematerial, because if some dirty objects are adhered thereon, it canstill retain a beautiful outlook. A rectangular upper side of the airinflation cell causes the person lying thereon to feel comfortable.

To achieve above object, the present invention provides a highly stableand slowly adjusted air inflation cushion, comprising: a lower sheetbeing a sheet like structure; an upper sheet adhered on an upper side ofthe lower sheet; the upper sheet including a polarity of air inflationcells each of which have a hollow central space; each air inflation cellbeing an approximate rectangular bottom; a polarity of channels; twoadjacent air inflation cells being connected by a respective one of thechannels for communicating the air inflation cells connected thereto sothat air in the air inflation cells flows from one to another; andwherein a cross section area of the channel is inversely changed with(or inversely proportional to) a pressure applied on an upper side ofthe channel.

By adjusting an interior cross section of the channel, a gap between twoopposite lateral sides of the air inflation cell and a height of the airinflation cell, when a weight of a person lying on the air inflationcushion is between 50 to 100 kilograms, the reduction of the height ofeach air inflation cell is about 1 inch.

When a pressure applied by the person lying on the cushion is 80kilogram/0.8 square meters ±10%, an interior cross section of thechannel is 12 mm2±15%.

A cross section of the channel becomes smaller and smaller from an innerside of an air inflation cell near an inner side of the air inflationcushion toward another air inflation cell near an outer side of the airinflation cushion. Preferably, a rate of reduction of the cross sectionof the air inflation cell is linear.

Material of the lower sheet, the upper sheet and the channels isselected from silicon and rubber, such as rubber No. 419C.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an assembled schematic view about the element in the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic view about the element in the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial schematic view about the assembly of the element inthe first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross section view about the channel in the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an assembled schematic view about the second embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross section view about a reduced sized channelin the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross section view about the reduced sized channelin the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross section view about the reduced sized channelin the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order that those skilled in the art can further understand thepresent invention, a description will be provided in the following indetails. However, these descriptions and the appended drawings are onlyused to cause those skilled in the art to understand the objects,features, and characteristics of the present invention, but not to beused to confine the scope and spirit of the present invention defined inthe appended claims.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 8, the structure of the present inventionis illustrated. The present invention relates to a highly stable andslowly adjusted air inflation cushion 1. The present invention includesthe following elements.

A lower sheet 10 is a sheet like structure (referring to FIG. 20.)

An upper sheet 20 is adhered on an upper side of the lower sheet 10(referring to FIG. 1). The upper sheet 20 includes a polarity of airinflation cells 21. Each air inflation cell 21 is an approximaterectangular bottom (other forms are permissible, such as the airinflation cell 21 has a ball shape or has cambered edges, however, allthese forms are within the scope of the present invention). An upperside of each air inflation cell 21 has an approximate rectangular plane.

A gas nozzle 211 is installed to one of the air inflation cells 21 andis at two adjacent sides of the air inflation cell 21 for inflating airto the air inflation cells 21. The air tap 211 is a tube like structurewhich is inclined to the surface of the upper sheet 20.

A polarity of channels 212 are included. Two adjacent air inflationcells 21 are connected by a channel 212, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thechannel 212 serve to communicate the air inflation cells 21 connected sothat air in the air inflation cells 21 flows from one to another.

Preferably, materials of the upper sheet 20, lower sheet 10 and channels212 are silicon or rubber, such as rubber 419C.

When the lower sheet 10 is combined to the upper sheet 20. The channels212 are formed as air flow paths. In the condition of air inflation,each air inflation cell 21 is expanded completely. When the airinflation cells 21 are compressed, the volume of the air inflation cell21 will reduce so as to suffer the pressure transiently and completely.

In the present invention, the cross section of the channel 212 is basedon the pressure capable of applying thereon. In the normal condition,the pressure is applied by a person lie thereon. The pressure becomeslarger and larger with the weight of the person lying thereon. When theweight of the person lying thereon is light, the pressure becomessmaller. When the cross sections of the channels 212 are inverselychanged (or inversely proportional to) with the pressure applied on theair inflation cells 21. The cross section of the channel 212 becomessmaller, when the pressure applied thereon becomes larger.

The object of the present invention is aimed that when the person lyingthereon moves so that the pressure applied to the air inflation cushion1 changes. The air inflation cell 21 with larger pressure will drive airto the air inflation cell 21 with smaller pressure so that the airinflation cells 21 have uniform pressure distribution.

When the person lying on the cushion turns his (or her) bodycontinuously, the pressures applied to the air inflation cells 21 changecontinuously so that air flows between different air inflation cells 21.

When the air flows quickly, the deformations of the air inflation cells21 become large, this state will cause the person lying thereon fatiguesso as not to have the affect of releasing fatigue. On the contrary, whenthe air in the air inflation cells 21 flows too slowly, the airinflation cushion 1 cannot deform with the shape of the person lyingthereon. Therefore, it is necessary to control the air flow rate in afinite range so that the air flow speed is proper.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, a preferred design ofthe channel 212 is provided, as illustrated in FIG. 4. When the personlying thereon has a weight of 80 kilogram (at this moment, the pressureapplied by the person lying on the cushion is about 80 kilogram/0.8square meters ±10%). The interior cross section of the channel 212 is 12mm2±15%. Preferably, the interior cross section 215 of the channel 212has a rectangular shape with an area of 8 mm×1.5 mm±15%, see FIG. 4.Based on above assumption, the interior cross section 215 of the channel212 is approximate reversely changed with (reversely proportional to)the weight of the person lying thereon. That is, the heavier the personlying thereon , the smaller the interior cross section 215 of thechannel 212, and vice versa. This is because the heavier the personlying thereon, the larger the pressure applying on the air inflationcushion 1 so that the flow speed of the air in the air inflation cushion1 becomes larger and thus the interior cross section 215 of the channel212 must be reduced so as to retain the whole air inflation cushion 1 ina stable state without larger oscillation on the surface of the airinflation cushion 1.

In this embodiment, the channel 212 has a n shape and the interior crosssection 215 thereof is a rectangular shape of 8 mm×1.5 mm. By adjustingthe interior cross section 215 of the channel 212, a gap between twoopposite lateral sides of the air inflation cell 21 and a height of theair inflation cell 21, when the weight of the person lying on the airinflation cushion 1 is between 50 to 100 kilograms, the reduction of theheight of each air inflation cell 21 is about 1 inch. Even in a specificpressure for each air inflation cell 21, the compression of the airinflation cell 21 is smaller than 1 inch for getting a largestsupporting effect.

The second embodiment of the present invention will be described hereina preferred design of the channel 212 is shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. In FIGS.7 and 8, the arrow A is a direction from an air inflation cell at aninner side of the air inflation cushion to an highly stable and slowlyadjusted air inflation cushion at an outer side of the air inflationcushion 1 and the arrow B is a direction from an air inflation cell atan outer side of the air inflation cushion to an air inflation cell 21at an inner side of the air inflation cushion 1. The channel 212 isbetween an inner air inflation cell 21 and an outer air inflation cell21. The cross section of the channel 212 becomes smaller and smallerfrom an inner side near the inner air inflation cell 21 toward an outerside near an outer air inflation cell 21. The inner air inflation cell21 is near an inner side of the air inflation cushion 1 and the outerair inflation cell 21 is near an edge of the air inflation cushion 1.Preferably, the rate of reduction of the cross section of the airinflation cell 21 is linear. The function of this design is aimed atwhen the inner air inflation cell 21 is pressed greatly, the airtherewithin may flow toward the outer air inflation cell 21 rapidly, butwhen the pressure is released, the air flows to the inner air inflationcell 21 slowly.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, another embodiment of the presentinvention is illustrated. This embodiment has an identical design asthat described in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. However, inthis embodiment, it shown that the channel 212 described in FIGS. 7 and8 is only suitable for the outermost two circles of the air inflationcells 21, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Moreover, a widest side of thechannel 212 has a width of 5 mm and a narrowest side of the channel 212has a width of 1 mm. Preferably, an opening of the narrow side of thechannel 212 toward the inner air inflation cell 21 are extended with twoextension sheets 216 (referring to FIGS. 7 and 8).

Advantages of the present invention are that: a polarity of channels 212are used to communicate the air inflation cells 21, and the interiorcross section 215 of the channel 212 is approximate reversely changedwith the weight of the person lying thereon. Therefore, when thepressure applied to the air inflation cushion 1 is changed, thedeformation of the air inflation cushion 1 is slow so that theoscillation and deformation are properly, not too large and not toosmall. Therefore, by the design of the present invention, the personlying on the air inflation cushion 1 has a greatest contact area withthe air inflation cushion 1. Moreover, the air inflation cells canexpand completely and adhere to the person's body tightly so that theperson lying theron retains in a steady state. Therefore, the personlying thereon feels comfortable and easy. The present invention issuitable for the beds used for general persons, sick persons, andhandicapped persons, etc. Moreover, black rubber or silicon is suitablematerial, because if some dirty objects are adhered thereon, it canstill retain a beautiful outlook. A rectangular upper side of the airinflation cell causes the person lying thereon to feel comfortable.

The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that thesame may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regardedas a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, andall such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art areintended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A highly stable and slowly adjusted air inflationcushion, comprising: a lower sheet being a sheet like structure; anupper sheet adhered on an upper side of the lower sheet; the upper sheetincluding a polarity of air inflation cells each of which have a hollowcentral space; and a polarity of channels; two adjacent air inflationcells being connected by a respective one of the channels forcommunicating the air inflation cells connected thereto so that air inthe air inflation cells flows from one to another; and wherein a crosssection area of the channel is inversely changed with a pressure appliedon an upper side of the channel.
 2. The highly stable and slowlyadjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crosssection area of the channel is inversely proportional to the pressureapplied on the upper side of the channel.
 3. The highly stable andslowly adjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein byadjusting an interior cross section of the channel, a gap between twoopposite lateral sides of the air inflation cell and a height of the airinflation cell, when a weight of a person lying on the air inflationcushion is between 50 to 100 kilograms, the reduction of the height ofeach air inflation cell is about 1 inch.
 4. The highly stable and slowlyadjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein when apressure applied by the person lying on the cushion is 80 kilogram/0.8square meters ±10%, an interior cross section of the channel is 12mm2±15%.
 5. The highly stable and slowly adjusted air inflation cushionas claimed in claim 4, wherein the interior cross section of the channelhas a rectangular shape with an area of 8 mm×1.5 mm±15%.
 6. The highlystable and slowly adjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 5,wherein the channel has a n shape with a width between two lateral sidesof 8.6 mm±15% and a height of the channel is 2.1 mm±15%.
 7. The highlystable and slowly adjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 1,wherein a cross section of the channel becomes smaller and smaller froman inner side of an air inflation cell near an inner side of the airinflation cushion toward another air inflation cell near an outer sideof the air inflation cushion.
 8. The highly stable and slowly adjustedair inflation cushion as claimed in claim 7, wherein a rate of reductionof the cross section of the air inflation cell is linear.
 9. The highlystable and slowly adjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 7,wherein the channel is only suitable for the outermost two circles ofthe air inflation cells, that is, the another air inflation cell is atan outermost side of the air inflation cushion.
 10. The highly stableand slowly adjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 6, whereina widest side of the channel has a width of 5 mm and a narrowest side ofthe channel has a width of 1 mm.
 11. The highly stable and slowlyadjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 7, wherein an openingof the narrow side of the channel toward the inner air inflation cellare extended with two extension sheets.
 12. The highly stable and slowlyadjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein materialof the lower sheet, the upper sheet and the channels is selected fromsilicon and rubber.
 13. The highly stable and slowly adjusted airinflation cushion as claimed in claim 12, wherein the rubber is a rubberNo. 419C.
 14. The highly stable and slowly adjusted air inflationcushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air inflation cell has anapproximate rectangular shape and an upper side of each air inflationcell has an approximate rectangular plane.
 15. The highly stable andslowly adjusted air inflation cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein anair nozzle is installed to one of the air inflation cells and is at twoadjacent sides of the air inflation cell for inflating air to the airinflation cells.